Any recommendations for a small boat cruise of Alaska's Inside Passage other than Lindblad? Their cruises are great educationally but the price is very steep and the size and quality of the accommodations and the ship in general are small and old.

Is August a good time of year to go for lesser chances of rain?

Thank you in advance for your replies.

August is a higher chance of rain - the summer basically gets wetter and wetter from mid-June on. See SE Alaska port weather stats at http://www.youralaskacruise.com/cruise-weather.html

Have a look at American Safari cruises, and their new budget division, InnerSea Discoveries - http://americansafaricruises.com/ and http://www.innerseadiscoveries.com/

Murray

Check out The Boat Company. They are a non profit eco cruise company that offer the educational aspects. As far as price goes, its not cheap, but since they are a non profit, part of the vacation is a tax write off
http://theboatcompany.org/

Check out Cruise West -- pricey, but all-incusive. We did Holland America last year and loved every minute. Ships @ 1000 passengers, as opposed to the 120 on Cruise West, but much smaller than the mega cruisers and so able to get farther "inside."

Cruise West is no longer in business - they went bankrupt last year.

I am looking at InnerSea Discoveries as well - anyone every cruised with them?

2011 is InnerSea Discoveries' first year of operation. They're owned by American Safari, though, so their credibility to run a quality oeration is huge.